Progress Is Progress

 Yesterday was sunny with a high of 18C. This morning it is raining and 9C. Today is supposed to be wet this morning and clearing this afternoon. The high is supposed to get to 21C. 

Lifestyle

I was out to help set up the hall for the luncheon at noon. We scurried to get the tables set up, chairs out, and the tables set. Then it was food prep in the kitchen. At that point, I was starting to have muscle issues. They were rebelling about my SI joint being in place. I left after 10 am and headed to family's. 

Grandson tried on his dress pants and they are the perfect length. After a short talk, I came home to put heat on my sore muscles. I spent the rest of the morning either with heat on them or doing housework that needed to be done. I alternated between the two. I even walked up and down the stairs a few times. At 12:30 I went for a walk with my friend and we walked for 13 minutes. It did help my muscles a lot. I did go out in the late afternoon to take some items to my friend. I was feeling somewhat better. 

At 4 am, I did another good stretch and had another crack. I think my SI joint is now in place. I do have a couple of muscles that are still sore but they are the usual ones I deal with on a regular basis. Unfortunately I am tired physically and mentally from all the pain I had. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday for a while. I started the sundress for the Gotz dolls. I didn't finish it but it is close. 

I still have a good hour of work left to do on it. But, I'm happy with how it looks. Another great pattern that fits the doll's well. 

I took all of my seed beads and some other ones to my friend so she can use them on a wall hanging she is making. She took a class on it and is trying to get it done. We talked about what colours of beads could go where on it. I am hoping to see it when it is done. 

Knitting

I finished the leg on the 2nd sock last night. I knit 15 rounds. 

Next up is to put 4 stitches on the heel side, knit the heel flap and turn the heel. 

I did work on the doll's sweater for a bit in the morning while I had heat on my sore spots. I also knit on it for a while last night. 

It is coming along nicely and I will soon be putting the sleeves on to yarn so I can work on the body. 

Thoughts

    I am certainly happy that my SI joint is back in place. Though my muscles rebelled about working a new way, they are improving. I was going to call to see if I could get an emergency appointment with my physiotherapist today but I don't have to. Now to work on walking more so the muscles know what to do when I am on my feet. 

    The after-election life begins. The elected leader is busy at work. The other two party leaders are in a bit of shock. Both lost their seats in their ridings. One is resigning and the other has to make some decisions. The talks about what is going to happen will continue for a long time. I have decided that I will be picky about what I watch and go back to living a quiet  life.

    On a happy note. As we walked yesterday I saw two magnolias coming into bloom. I am going to try to get a picture of one of them. I need to look at the one down the street from me to see if it is has pink blooms. The two I saw yesterday have creamy white blooms. The tulips are now in bud which is wonderful. We will soon have the leaves out fully on the trees. 

Today

I am home today. I need to do laundry and clean the dining room table. I want to finish the doll's dress and make piping. I do have to take a bag of fabric scraps to my friend. Tonight I want to knit. The only other thing I may do is go for a short walk. 

Until the next time.......................................................................

Another Doll's Dress Made

 Yesterday started out cloudy and ended up sunny. The high got to 15C. This morning it is clear and -1C. Today is supposed to be sunny with a high of 15C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I was out the door to family's to help make sandwiches. I thought I was going to be the official dish washer but people didn't show so I made sandwiches. Once everyone left, daughter-in-law and I cleaned the kitchen, had a short rest and then loaded my car to go to the hall. 

At the hall, we quietly worked in the kitchen getting out the items we needed to set up the hall this morning. We were very quiet and didn't go into the main part as it was a polling station for the election. We did have people come in to visit us on their breaks. We worked quickly as we could and left through the kitchen door. 

Once home, I sat for a while. I was sore and feeling cranky. My SI joint was acting up and the pain was getting worse. It was making my feet sore. I tried everything from walking to heat, to stretching and nothing was working. At 5 am this morning, I stretched and had a crack. Hopefully that has helped seat the SI joint. I have physio in 2 weeks and hope that the session will help me. I will have needling if necessary to get the pain level down. 

I ordered Chef's Plate for 3 weeks. I thought I was having a repeat from the last box I ordered. That box arrived 2 days late. I was getting ready to report it when this one arrived at 5 pm. At that point, I had gone out to get dinner and was annoyed. I am learning that I need to have a frozen meal or 2 just in case the box arrives late on Mondays. Once I am finished mid May, I won't be ordering again until fall and if then. I am thinking of making my own meals once again. 

Sewing

I did sew yesterday though it would have been nicer to nap. I got at it and made a dress for the Gotz dolls. It is a pattern an internet friend designed and I love it. 

It is a well designed pattern and fits the dolls well. 

I wish she had continued designing patterns for these dolls as she did a great job. But she moved on to quilting. 

The next dress I am going to sew was also designed by her. I got the patterns as I tested them for her.

Knitting

I knit 15 rounds on the socks last night which was my goal. I have 15 rounds left to knit and then it is the heel flaps and turn the heel. 

I cast on the doll's sweater in green as I have enough yarn for it. I knit 10 rows on it last night. I am knitting on it after I knit a certain amount on the socks each night. 

I love this pattern as it is easy to knit the twist stitch at the neckline and bottom of the body and sleeves. I also like the puff sleeves and eyelet design. 

Thoughts

    Daughter-in-law texted me that we can start walking again at the arena. That is good to know and I hope we can start next week. She also let me know that our osteopathy therapist had a baby girl April 19. 

    Our election is over and I am glad it is done. It has been very stressful for many people including me. Now the fun begins as one province is threatening to leave Canada, the possibility of a recession looming, the tariff situation, and goodness knows what else our government needs to deal with. I am sure it won't be easy sailing. 

    With the warmer weather my lawn is growing and almost needs mowing. I am surprised at how green and lush it is. It will be fertilized in May and then it will be growing a rapidly. I hate to tell the person who mows my lawns that he may have to start mowing it sooner rather than later. 

Today

I am out early this morning to set up the hall for a luncheon. Once done, I am going to mark grandson's dress pants to hem. I will do them when I get home. I hope to work on the next doll's dress this afternoon. I hope to knit tonight. 

Until the next time.......................................................

Two Of The Five Items Sewn

 Yesterday was cloudy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon. The high got to 17C. This morning it is raining lightly and 4C. Today is supposed to be rain this morning and cloudy this afternoon. The high is to get to 13C.

Lifestyle

I did my balance sheet first thing and am pleased with my low spend month. Mainly groceries with a few little things I needed bought. I put everything away happy I had no issues getting things to balance as I had to do 2 weeks. 

I did some sweeping under the couch and was amazed at how little dirt or fluff there was. Rosie the robot is keeping the floors clean enough that there is nothing to go under the couch. I did a bit of mopping in front of the couch as Rosie has a hard time mopping. I did check the rest of the floor and it is okay. 

I was in a lot of pain yesterday. It was mainly muscle pain and the SI joint being stiff. I walked, I sat, I climbed up and down the stairs to no avail. I did notice some relief in the afternoon when sitting correctly in my chair while sewing. I brought a pillow upstairs and put it behind my back with the heating pad and it helped. I may not be sitting correctly on the couch and need the extra support on my back. 

Sewing

I finished the doll's jacket and it was quite the job. A lot of serging so the seams were finished. I also worried about the sleeves fitting in as I had to extend the front shoulder seam and redraw the arm hole. The sleeves went in perfectly. I did baste them in as I don't like dealing with pins in the armhole. 

I did learn a few things that I would do differently if I make it again. Otherwise it was an okay pattern to sew and it fits quite well. 

I had enough time to sew the Oh Sew Kat's Six Grade Skirt. This is an easy sew and I had it completed in less than 90 minutes. It is also a great skirt to make when you have a small amount of fabric to use up. And I wanted to use up this fabric. 

I want to knit a sweater in either the green (if enough) or the pink yarn I pulled from the stash. I am hoping there is enough of the green. 

That was 2 of the 5 projects I cut out on Saturday. Three to go but I know I won't get them done before the end of April. I have to hem grandson's suit pants which will take me a bit of time to do. 

Knitting

I sat with the heat on my back and knit up a storm. I did 30 rounds last night. 

There are 30 rounds left to go and the leg will be knit. 

I have decided that I will work on the doll's sweater a bit each night. I will knit for so long on the socks and then on the sweater. 

Thoughts

    I had hoped I could have gone outside and pulled weeds yesterday but I was too sore to do that. I will push myself to do it on Wednesday or Thursday. I hope that it will help my sore spots and if not, physio the next week will be an interesting session. I don't get osteopathy for 4 months but may have to book a session with someone that has been recommended by the therapist. 

    My Fitbit sleep tracker is frustrating me. It records only part of my sleep. If I get up during the night to the bathroom, it stops at that point. I live with it and look to see how I have slept during that period of time. I just know I can't depend on it for the whole night sleep. I will tell me if I had slept after I got up but it won't record the sleep stages. 

    I was quite happy that I got two items from the project pile made yesterday. The left over piles of fabric are disappearing and the doll's are getting pieces for their wardrobes. 

Today

I am out to help make sandwiches at family's house and then to the hall to do a few things that we can do to prep for the lunch tomorrow. Once home, I will sew something and then make dinner. I will knit tonight. 

Until the next time...............................................................................

Cutting Out Projects to Sew

 Yesterday was a mix of sun, clouds, and showers with the temperature going up all day. It also got windy in the evening. By midnight it was 14C. This morning it is raining and 14C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun, clouds, and showers with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

I was out the door early to make sandwiches at the community hall. We were done in an hour and I was back home before 9:30 am. We even packed up daughter-in-law's car with supplies as we make sandwiches at her house on Monday. 

On the way down my road, I happened to notice one magnolia tree starting to burst into bloom. The old magnolia tree on the way into town is in bloom. The forsythia are coming into bloom and the tulips are starting to make heads. The weeping willow trees have small yellow leaves. Spring is coming. 

I did laundry yesterday after I got home from the community hall. It was bed linens and I had to make sure they were done so I could make the bed before going out for dinner at family's.  

We had lasagna for dinner and it was delicious. Son asked about dessert and in the banter Blizzards were mentioned. Grandson said "yes" and he set about clearing the table and filling his pump with insulin. Next thing we knew, he was in the car waiting for us. We took him in for his dessert. Once home, he went to study for exams and I watched some soccer with family before coming home. 

The wind came up and blew in the storm around 8:30 pm. The wind wasn't that noisy so it didn't bother me. The barometric pressure went down and I was sore from that. Not as bad as other times but enough to have heat on the sore spots. 

Sewing

It was cutting day. I decided to cut as many of the large scraps of fabric into projects as I could. 

1. Bias strips to make piping for daughter. The fabric is left over from the table runner I made at the retreat. 

The scraps are in the donation pile to the quilter's group. 

2. Doll's skirt using up the left over fabric from the bag I made. The small amount of scraps are in the donation bag. 

I will need to look for a plain piece of cotton to make a top or knit one for this skirt. I may knit one. 

3. Sleeveless dress for the Gotz dolls. The skirt is on the ironing board. 

There is enough fabric left for another doll's dress that will be cut out shortly. 

4. A sundress for the Gotz dolls using the last of the heart print. 

5. The Perfect Plaid jacket pattern was fixed and cut out. I forgot to take pictures of it before I started to sew it together. I used up most of the print for the lining and what is left of the outer fabric will go into the donation box. 

At this point I decided to do some math. I have bought 5.9 meters of fabric so far this year. When I cut out the last dress, and sewn these projects, I will have used up 40% of the fabric I bought. I have decided that those fabrics will be sewn up in May. My goal is not to buy fabric until after this little challenge is completed. And I will have to set some guidelines of when I can buy fabric after that. 

The projects I cut out are in plastic page protectors ready for me to sew. I like having them contained so I can take them out and put the pattern pieces back into the page protector and put them away into their bin. 

Knitting

I got 20 rounds knit on sock #2 last night. Not too bad considering I had a late start. 

I have decided that I am going to buy 3 balls of yarn from a company in Denmark. I love one brand they sell and will be able to knit it up before the end of the year. Once I get it, I will not buy yarn again until late fall. I have enough sock yarn for this year. 

Thoughts

    Spring is coming quickly now. The day time temperatures are in the mid teens though most nights will be cool. We will still get frost some nights. It is still too early to buy any plants though I do want to try to get some of the vegetable bins prepped on nice days. 

    There was a larger pot in the ditch on my property so I retrieved it. I was going to buy larger pots for vegetables but will be looking for this size now. I will plant some vegetables in them on the deck and then plant some in the boxes using what I can to deter the deer. 

    Though it rained last night, I don't think we got as much as predicted. They were calling for almost an inch. When I looked outside it didn't seem to be that much. I need to order a new rain gauge so I can track the rainfall. The old one is past its life span and leaking some. 

Today

I need to do the balance sheet first thing, tidy up a bit and then head downstairs for a long day of sewing. I hope to knit tonight. I may go outside if it dries up some and do a bit of work in the boxes. 

Until the next time.................................................................................

Fabric Fast Broken

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 16C. This morning it is cloudy and 6C. Today is supposed to be cloudy with showers with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

My plans changed on a dime. I went with a friend to Avonport as she wanted to take part in the Shop Hop that is happening. We were gone most of the morning. 

I was out in the late afternoon to buy groceries and it wasn't too busy. As I drive, I see more daffodils are blooming which is nice. These are at my neighbours and are pale yellow. I can see them from my house which is nice. 

They have the most daffodils in our area with more in the front and lots in the back yard. The bulbs were imported from Holland. 

Sewing

I bought this fabric at the quilt shop. I plan on making a couple of gift bags out of it. One is for a friend and the other I will sell. It was in the sale bin and I got an extra 10% off due to the Shop Hop. I also bought a new rotary blade for my cutter. 

In the afternoon, I hand sewed the binding down on the hot pad and put it away. I will have to put a ribbon around it later on. 

I am now ready to start cutting out the next projects so I can spend time sewing. 

Knitting

I finished knitting the leg on sock #1. It was slower going as my left hand wanted to cramp up. I had to rest it so I could finish it.

After more resting, I cast on the second sock and got 2 rounds done on it. 

I can now knit on it in the evenings until I have the leg done. I then have to move stitches so I can do the heel flap on both socks. 

Thoughts

    It was nice to be out with my friend to shop. I wasn't going to buy fabric but the piece caught my eye and I knew I could sew it up quickly. I also needed the rotary cutter blade as mine is quite dull. Back to fabric fasting once again. I have sewn 3 times more fabric than I have bought at this time so am doing well. I will be happy when all the fabric I have bought this year is sewn up. 

    We are supposed to get rain and high winds tonight. There is a storm coming in and we could get about 3/4" of rain. As it is supposed to be warm all night, everything is going to grow rapidly for a few days. Hopefully the leaves will show green on the trees. 

Today

I am out shortly to make sandwiches. When I get home I need to do some laundry and a bit of housework. I want to cut out projects this afternoon. I want to knit on the socks tonight. It will basically be an at home day for me. 

Until the next time........................................................

Nearly Completed A Hot Pad

 Yesterday was sunny with a cool wind. The high got to 11C. This morning there is a mix of blue skies and clouds and it is 6C. Today is suppose to have some showers with a high of 16C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday I was out to have a hair cut and then go to the hall to help set up for the dinner last night. I got a phone call just before leaving saying the hall was set up so I didn't need to go.  So I went for my hair cut and came home. 

I had no plans in place so puttered around and rested a lot. I wasn't too sore. I wanted to keep it that way as I was going to be out to help with the dinner. I knew it would be 4 hours on my feet at the end of the day. 

I got a phone call from daughter-in-law to go to the liquor store as we needed some supplies. Off I went on the 3 minute drive. Then I had to get ice. None at the grocery store so off to a gas station for it. 

At the community hall, I helped daughter-in-law at the bar as there was nothing to do in the kitchen. We enjoy working the bar together. I had to leave and head back to the liquor store. I got back just as the ladies were serving up dinner and they didn't need me. So back to the bar I went. The group of people that had the dinner were very nice and friendly. We chatted, joked and laughed. Once the bar was quiet, I helped with clean up. I scraped plates and then cleared tables. We were done before 8 pm and it was nice to get home and rest. I had pushed myself to my limit and the pain was starting to tell me to sit down and rest. 

Sewing

I did get to sew in the afternoon. The large hot pad got quilted after some thinking about how to mark the lines. White fabric pen which I erased off. 

I chose this for the front as it looked balanced when I cut the pad to the correct size. 

The back is the center fabric which I am happy looks good enough that someone can reverse this hot pad. 

The binding was sewn on and is ready for me to hand sew down. 

I have decided that if these large hot pads don't sell at the craft bazaar I will send them to daughter to give away at the events they go to with their dogs in which they have dinner. Someone will like them for their camper/travel trailer. 

Knitting

I didn't knit last night. I did look at it but decided I was tired enough to make a mistake so left well enough alone. 

I made a decision to buy 3 balls of yarn from Denmark. One is to replace the ball I lost and 2 are for another pair of socks. I love the yarn and the cost for the 3 balls will be about the same as the yarn I buy locally for 1 pair of socks. At the rate I am knitting socks, I will probably knit all the sock yarn I have before the end of this year. 

Thoughts

    I am thinking of putting about 5-6 large planters on the deck to plant vegetables into. I will plant what the deer like in them and put onions and flowers into the boxes. If I get brave, I will plant some other plants in the boxes but will make sure they have onions, garlic and marigolds mixed in with them. If the deer eat the plants with the smelly plants in them, it will be my last year of using the boxes. I will give them away. 

    I had thought the Spousal Unit's rose bush was dead but I see some growth happening. I need to cut back the dead growth in the next couple of days. I am hoping it will grow well and bloom for me this year. 

    I have a lot on my list over the next few days. I am going to help make sandwiches tomorrow morning and then help daughter-in-law on Monday to prepare for a luncheon at the community hall Tuesday. I am going to help set up the hall on Tuesday morning. I am hoping after that I won't be needed for a while. I will continue helping my daughter-in-law as she needs me. 

Today

I am heading out to buy the pots for the deck and get a few groceries this morning and then will do a bit of housework. I want to sew the binding down on the large hot pad this afternoon and knit tonight. 

Until the next time...................................................................

Starting A New Project

 Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds with a high of 14C. This morning it is a bit cloudy and 6C. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and clouds and 14C. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday morning I cleaned up the kitchen, took out recycling, and mopped the floor. Rosie the Robot does a fair job of mopping so I have mop when I see streaks on the floor. It was good to have that job done. I will be mopping most of the floors in the upstairs as I am seeing streak marks. 

The company that does the lawn maintenance arrived early in the morning. The supervisor was doing the liming of the lawn. He and I had a great talk about the lawn. It is in better condition that a lot of lawns he works on. He also let me know he will be a father in July. Exciting news. 

I did more work on the family tree yesterday morning. I have 60 days left of Ancestry world membership so am trying to get a lot done. This time I worked on my paternal grandmother's family. Finding out about the Stillman's was quite a feat and it wasn't resolved until a granduncle's son took a DNA test. It opened the doors to finding out more about the family. My 3rd great grandfather mustered out of Fort Edwards where I live. He came from Germany to the US, joined the army, was captured in the Revolutionary war, brought to Halifax, walked to the Fort and fought there until the end of the war. He then went to Parrsboro. I looked at the information on his children. Though my 2nd great grandfather moved to New Brunswick, the rest of his children lived in either Parrsboro or in the area I now live in. Their children either remained in the area or moved to the US. 

I was out to family's in the late afternoon to see daughter-in-law. We have set up a schedule for today, Monday, and Tuesday for cooking and making sandwiches. I helped her with a few things as she was getting tired from being on her feet all day. 

Sewing

I decided to make another large hot pad using a fat quarter and left over striped fabric. I struggled with it and finally decided to make a reversible one. The front has two fabrics using an idea I had seen in a table runner. 

The back is the print.

The binding will be the strip on the bias. I am kind of excited to see how it will look and which side people will like the best. 

Knitting

I did 31 rounds on the sock last night. It is growing rapidly. 

Ten more rounds and I will be starting the second sock. I really like the colours in this sock. It reminds me of the earth, water, sky, and clouds. 

Thoughts

    My back hurt yesterday. Sharp pains that had me yelping. Not sure what I did wrong. I stretched, I walked, I did everything I could think of to get the pain to go away. I even packed the bag of garbage to the curb rather than take it in the wagon. Nothing helped. I did stretch in bed during the night and it cracked. Still some pain this morning but not like it was.  

    I find it interesting how statements from world leaders affect the stock markets. Up and down according to what is said. It seems as if words can put a country on its knees one day and back on its feet days later. How countries are doing business is changing. Though I still think we will have a recession, when all is said and done, how the world trades will look differently than it does today. Unfortunately we will all feel the impact of this when we shop for the items we need. 

    Spring is coming and it is warming up a bit more each day. The sun has a lot of warmth to it. We will still get frost some mornings which is normal for us. But, the birds are busy building nests and you can hear them singing and chirping. The leaves are coming out slowly but there is a definite yellow/green look as the leaves unfurl. I hope to get out one nice day to pull weeds and have the yard look nice. 

Today

I am out this morning to have my hair cut. Then it is off to the community hall to help set up tables for the dinner tonight. I will come home to rest before I go out to help dish up the meals. I doubt if I will do much sewing today and will probably do no knitting tonight. 

Until the next time........................................................................

A Project Completed And A Project Started

 Yesterday was grey and cool with showers. The high got to 7C. This morning it is cloudy, damp, and 4C. Today is supposed to be sunny and 13C. 

Lifestyle

I was surprised yesterday that it almost snowed at one point in the morning. The stuff coming out of the sky was half snow half rain. That was in Halifax. The rain didn't come to our area until mid afternoon and it was just rain. 

Yesterday morning, daughter-in-law and I headed to Halifax to get groceries for the dinner at the community hall on Thursday. We went to the Wholesale Store to get most of it. It was a bit of fun as we got a regular cart and after putting in a 50 lb bag of potatoes and a 50 lb bag of carrots, we decided we needed a bigger cart. I went out to get one and then returned the other one to the cart area. We finished our shopping there and grunted the carrots and potatoes into the car. 

Next stop was Walmart. It was next to the Wholesale store and is huge. We got what we needed there and left to get something to drink. We were not stopping again until we got to the community hall. We unloaded everything but the carrots and put it all away. Daughter-in-law brought me home and was having son bring in the carrots for her when she got home. 

I was tired when we got home. Part was from not sleeping well the night before and part was the heavy lifting. I wanted to nap but didn't allow myself. I had lunch and then pushed on for the rest of the day. 

Sewing

I made the pillow and pillowcase for the quilt. 

It wasn't a hard sew and I enjoyed making the two pieces. 

Five doll quilts are now made and only 8 more to go. 

Knitting

I decided to divide the next ball of yarn into two cakes. This way I can knit the two socks at the same time. Winding this ball was not a piece of cake. I had to sit and undo a rat's nest that came out of the center. I got it done and then had to tease apart another smaller nest a bit later on. It took an hour to wind the balls!

The yarn is wool with aloe on it and was produced in Germany and bought in Sweden. I love the colours in it and when in the ball, I thought it was going to be speckled. Not so. It knits up in small stripes. 

It is very outdoorsy looking and I haven't seen these colours together when looking at yarn in Canada. 

I got 31 rounds knit on the first sock last evening which was amazing. I really enjoyed watching the colours knit up. The yarn is soft and easy to knit. 

Thoughts

    I was sore off and on yesterday. I walked well with a good stride but had to slow down for daughter-in-law. We laughed about how I struggled to keep up with her when I was really sore and now she struggles to keep up with me. I had several cracks last night which helped ease off the soreness. I still have muscle memory issues as my muscles learn how to deal with my improved condition. They do rebel and try to make me go backwards. I push through especially when walking as that is when my muscles tend to rebel the most.

    I am back to figuring out what to make with the remaining fabric on the cutting table. All are left over pieces from other projects and I want to sew them up into items. I do know some will become doll clothes, some will become large holders for casserole dishes and others will become ???? I need to spend some time handling the fabric and getting my ideas together so I can sew that pile down and give away the scraps. 

    I have been less stressed by the world economic situation though it is still on my mind. Most of what is happening is out of my control. I work on what is in my control and recharge my battery so I feel better. I am finding this is hard to do in the current economic and political climate. What I had planned for this year is changing and I am trying to figure out what I will do in the coming months. 

Today

I am home today and will do some necessary housework in the morning. If I have time, I will look at what needs to be done in the rest of the family room and get a plan ready to work on it this weekend. I want to plan/sew this afternoon and knit tonight. I don't think I will be going out at all today unless it is to stand in the sunshine. 

Until the next time......................................................................

Doll's Quilt and Socks Completed

 Yesterday was a mix of sun, clouds, and wind. The high got to 13C. This morning it is cloudy and 5C though it was 2C at midnight. Today is supposed to be a mix of sun and showers with a high of 7C. The clouds were pink tinged this morning. 

Lifestyle

Yesterday was busy. I was outside first thing to take the burlap off the garlic and the rosebush. Not sure how much garlic I will have or if the rosebush is alive. It is a wait and see situation. I may have to move my garlic to another box next year as I have had it in the same box for a couple of years now. The rose bush may be slow. It isn't in the best place to survive the winter. 

I was out to get groceries and moved quickly. I had to get back as the company was out aerating the lawns. They arrived after I got home and had 2 machines on my lawn. They were done very quickly and I now have plugs of dirt in the lawn which will compost. 

Taxes need to be filed by the end of April and things didn't go as planned this year. In March, I did as asked by the accounting firm and then heard nothing more. Easter weekend I was contacted and after two days of searching and looking and searching some more, I finally went to the bank to see if they had a tax form (called a T5) that hadn't been mailed to me. They did find it after some hunting and I got a paper copy. Once home, I spent a lot of time trying to scan it to my computer only to find out I had scanned it 5 times without knowing it. I learned something. It has been sent to the accountant and they will file my taxes in the next few days. I have learned that I need to go to the bank and have them look for tax forms for me. It seems as if they don't email them to me as they are legally supposed to. 

Sewing

I was able to sit in the family room and hand sew the binding down on the doll's quilt.  It was nice to sit quietly after a busy day. 

I can now make the pillow and pillow case for this quilt and put it away. 

Knitting

I finished the socks last night. They went faster than I thought they would. 

I have to wind a ball of yarn into two smaller balls before I start the next pair of socks. Hopefully I can cast them on tonight. 

Thoughts

    I was surprised to hear that the Pope passed away on Monday. I had seen a short video of him on Easter Sunday and thought he was recovering from the illness he had. Though not a Catholic, I did admire him for what he did while he was the Pope. 

    I ached a lot yesterday. I was wondering if it was the weather, if I had got too cold on Sunday, if the muscles wanted to go back to old muscle memory, or if I was having sugar/chocolate withdrawals. I am not sure but it did get better in the evening. I stretched a lot in bed but had no cracking so everything must be seated properly. I did push on during the day even if it hurt a lot. 

    I learned how to scan a document from my printer to my computer. It was easy and when I finally figured out how to get one copy I found at least 4 or 5 more on my computer this morning. I will have to say that it was too easy and I was expecting something more complicated. 

Today

I am off shortly to the city with daughter-in-law for a dinner we have to cook at the community hall. I would like to divide the yarn into two cakes for the next socks if I have time so I can knit on them tonight. Not sure what else I will get done when I get home. 

Until the next time...................................................

A No Plan In Place Clean Up

 Yesterday was sunny with lots of wind that got up to 61 km/h or 40 mph. The high of 13C at 6 am dropped to 10C in the early afternoon. This morning it is sunny, windy, and 4C. Today is supposed to be sunny and windy with a high of 12C.

Lifestyle

After a quick think, I headed downstairs to face part of the family room. I didn't have a plan which is bad. No plan means no toss for me. I started by taking out all of the garbage. There was a lot of it as I had put recycling into to large paper bags, had scraps for the trash in a box, and a bag of stuff I had tossed against a wall for "another day". Once that was done, I pulled the blinds open. You can say I was procrastinating a bit but I was doing things that needed doing. I then tidied up the table the Cricut is on. I am keeping it as I do enjoy making a few things from it. I was making decisions as this time. 

Next up came the table I do paper crafts on. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed as I had no idea what I needed and what I could toss. First up I corralled at the scraps of coloured/printed paper put some into a zip bag and others into the recycling bag. I then organized the coloured tag into family groups and got it put into a tub. I also put the printer paper into the paper and some other paper into a box to sell or donate. I took a look and saw progress. 

I continued on cleaning the trolley with my inks, glue, tape, etc. in it. I tossed a bit but not a lot. I kept it as I do need it to finish a project. I just kept plugging away until I was done. I did look at the memory book signature and I have 3 pages to complete on it and one more to do. I was pleased with what I had accomplished.

Next up I went into the maintenance/storage room and it was done to how I wanted it to be done for now. I have one or two items to donate but didn't touch them at this time. I was happy with how it looked. I did look at the paper crafts in a box on the floor and put it with the other items I will sell or donate. I brought down the vacuum cleaner and vacuumed the floors until the battery died. I had been at it for over 2 hours. 

The other part is ready for me to tackle on Tuesday. 

I was over to friend's for Easter dinner. There were 13 of us and it was a lovely meal. Ham, roasted vegetables, potato salad, buns, pickles, and lots of dessert. After we ate, we played a game and then I helped clean up the outdoor area. It was time for me to go home as the wind was howling and my nerves were jangled. I was also cold and sore. 

Sewing

I did get to sew yesterday afternoon. It was a short session where I made the binding and sewed it onto the doll's quilt. It is ready for hand sewing. 

Knitting

I finished knitting the foot on sock #2 and started on the toe. I have 8 rounds to knit and it is done. 

It went faster than I had thought it would go. I can't wait to see them finished and admire those lime green stripes. 

Thoughts

    The wind was brutal yesterday. It knocked over a compost bin, blew a tarp across the road into someone's yard and then blew cardboard boxes all over the place. I don't like the wind so it makes me tense and agitated. I usually hide in the basement when it blows. I had to endure it while we had dinner and I was a mental mess when I came home. I was also cold as the wind was coming in from the NW. The wind is still blowing this morning but not as hard. 

    It was fun to celebrate Easter with two university students from Japan. It was the first time they had celebrated Easter. The young lady leaves for Japan in August so has celebrated other holidays with us. She will celebrate Canada Day with us before she leaves. The young man arrived a month ago so Easter was his first holiday in Canada. He is so excited to be a part of our celebrations for the next year. 

    Marianne, researching my family tree has been a lot of fun as I enjoy discovering who the people are but where they came from. I also research some historical facts along the way. If you have McNeil in your family tree have them research to see if our are related to Stephen McNeil who was the premiere of Nova Scotia from 2013 to 2022. 

    My no plan in place clean up of the family room went better than I had thought it would. As I worked through the paper crafts, I made decisions on what will go when I am done doing it. I will only buy what I need to make a project and they will be simple ones. I could feel myself relaxing knowing I have made some big decisions on this part of my fantasy life. 

Today

I need to do some laundry and get groceries this morning. I hope to get the burlap off the rose bush and garlic. I want to hand sew the binding down on the doll's quilt this afternoon and knit tonight. 

Until the next time.....................................................................

Doll's Quilt Ready To Bind

Happy Easter

Yesterday was cloudy with a few showers and a high of 15C. This morning it is cloudy, damp, windy and 13C. Today is supposed to be cloudy and windy with the temperature going up to 15C and then dropping this afternoon to about 9C. 

Lifestyle

I spent the morning making buns for dinner tonight. This batch turned out as good as the ones I had made the day before. I let both batches rise for 1 hour vs the 45 minutes I had been doing. 

I did work on the family tree and had fun doing it. I worked on my mother's side of the family tree, mainly her mother's side. I knew that we had French ancestors that came in 1752 to Halifax and then to help build Lunenburg. I also learned that ancestors from Scotland come over at the same time and also went to Lunenburg. They too moved to the same area around River John and Tatamougche. What they did that the other ancestors didn't do was have some members move west to Manitoba. I love looking at how my ancestors moved around not only in the province they lived in but across Canada and to the US. One will never know why.

Later in the afternoon, I went over to family's to give grandson his Easter candy. I handed him the bag and said I had brought him his Easter carrots. He looked at me funny and then laughed when he saw what I had given him. 

He had thought I was giving him a bag of fresh carrots to eat. He was still grinning when I left to come home. His grandmother had got him good. 

I fixed the curtain rod in the living room last night. The wall where the bracket goes in is a mess and I will have to replace the curtains with blinds. It means ordering them and then getting someone to install them. I will have to order 6 of them  due to the open plan concept. It is in the plans which means I need to act sooner rather than later. 

Sewing

Sewing was a bit of fun putting batting together so I could have a piece big enough for the doll's quilt. I was able to quilt the doll's quilt and it is ready for binding. 

The binding is in the floral print. I have enough fabric left over to make the pillow and pillow case. The scraps go in the pile for the quilting group. When done, I will have used 2 meters of fabric to make a bag and a doll's quilt. 

Knitting

I knit last night and got the first sock ready to start decreasing for the toes. I picked up the 2nd sock and got 10 rounds knit on it. 

The foot of the sock ends with a wide black stripe and then two rows of the green before switching to black for the toe. If all goes well, they will be finished this week. 

Thoughts

    I decided yesterday to go back to eating like I did last spring. Portion control, no snacks, no chocolate, and very little sugar. I felt decidedly better yesterday. The sluggish feeling I was experiencing disappeared and my energy level raised even though I was tired from not sleeping well the night before. 

    My Fitbit put my sleep into two parts last night. I am not sure why it did that. I did have a good sleep with a lot more deep sleep than I've had in a long time. I am hoping that a combination of eating better and moving more will help me sleep better. 

    I looked at the family room briefly yesterday and am not happy with how it looks. I have to make some decisions on what I am going to do and how I am going to do it. If I am going to take part in the community yard sale, I need to start working on it now. 

Today

I am going to do some housework this morning and sew the binding on the doll's quilt. This afternoon I am out to friend's to have Easter dinner. I am hoping that I can knit on the socks tonight and get the second foot done. 

Until the next time...............................................................................